Ch. 15 Fantasia and the Soul of Fantasy
"That's what the big guys of time and space said," Rai chuckled. "When you get a chance, try to see if the others out in town need help, alright?"
"Right," Mirajane nodded. She walked over to an old-fashion cabinet. Underneath the knobs was a small keyhole. She pulled out a grey key and unlocked the cabinet. Mirajane pulled open the doors and a bright yellow light filled the room. She reached in and drew out the source of the light. She held out her hand for Rai to take the object. "Here, take this," she insisted. Rai reached out and took the sphere. Further inspecting the ball, he knew what it was.
"Is this…?" Rai asked.
"Yes, it's the Soul of Fantasy. Master Makarov wanted to have me give it to you after the festival. But, seeing how things are now…," she looked to her sleeping guild master. Rai looked down at the orb. He gave a small grip on it.
"You think this is gonna work?"
"I don't know. There's no telling what kind of magic the souls contain. It's been said only a Celestial Reaper can handle such a power."
"…I'll take your word for it," Rai ran out of the infirmary.
Magnolia
The light vanished as a shroud of clouds filled the entire church.
"Hahahahahaha," Laxus chuckled in his achievement, "I finally surpassed the old man." From the dust, Natsu and Gajeel coughed from the smoke. Levy rested onto a pedestal nearby. Laxus was in complete shock. "What the…no way! Impossible! How in the hell are you all still alive!?" Natsu and Gajeel tried to lift themselves from the ground.
"Levy, are you alright?" Gajeel asked. Levy nodded.
"What about Rai?" she asked. Gajeel turned to Rai. He was still unconscious.
"He's still breathing, so he'll be alright," he answered.
"And Natsu?" Gajeel looked ahead. "Is he okay?" Natsu breathed heavily.
"Hehe, looks just fine to me." Gajeel assured. Laxus looked at his hands. He continued to question why his spell didn't work.
"I hit them with so much magic energy," Laxus thought.
"The other guild members and the citizens of Magnolia remain unharmed," A voice came in through the doorway.
"…Freed," said Laxus. Freed held on to his left shoulder as half his robe was cut off.
"Looks like your spell didn't work," Freed concluded. "Not a single person was killed."
"But that's impossible! I CAST THE FAIRY LAW SPELL PERFECTLY!"
"Maybe so, but your true feelings have betrayed you. You inherited more than strength from your grandfather; deep down you also have the master's heart. Whether you admit it or not, it's evident that you care for your comrades. The Fairy Law Spell only affects those the caster sees as their enemy. Since no one was hurt, we now know how you truly feel."
"…His magic could see into his heart," said Levy. "And that's why we're still here."
"You can try to hide your feeling, Laxus," Freed smiled, "but your magic…it will always reveal the truth within your heart."
The cold air around him covered his entire body. In this place, there was no space, time, or gravity. He could tell it had a similar feeling as if he had arrived here before, but more solitary. "…Man, its cold in here," Rai said to himself. His voice echoed around the area. "I can't believe I got done in by an electric hot head. Damn, I didn't think it would end like this. What about the guild…what about Grandpa…what about this world?"
"Have you already surrendered?" A new voice echoed in front of Rai. He opened his eyes to see the dark veil disappear and the zone become a dimension filled with yellow walls and space. In front of him, a small twinkle of light flew closer to him. Rai stared at the shiny object.
"Well, no," Rai answered, "But I just assumed that I died after taking…I don't know, a giant lightning ball to the face."
Kardia Cathedral
"This has gone on long enough," Freed demanded, "You need to go see the master before he's gone!" The electricity surged around him. His build began to grow stronger.
"LET THE OLD MAN DIE FOR ALL I CARE!" Laxus shouted. "HE'S NOTHING TO ME! HE MADE ME FAMILY, BUT I'M STRONGER!" The electricity lashed about the cathedral. Gajeel did his best to keep Levy and Rai's body away from the static.
"Who do you think you are?" Natsu shouted out at Laxus. He stood across him from behind. "You're not stronger than Gramps! You couldn't even pull off Fairy Law!" Natsu ripped off his vest. "You may be his grandson, but you're no better than the rest of us!" Fire surrounded Natsu. "Don't you know blood types don't matter, because everyone in the guild is supposed to be considered family?"
"That's just a bunch of lies," Laxus fired back. "BLOOD TYPES DO MATTER!"
"YOU'VE BEEN A MEMBER LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER THAN THAT! IF YOU THINK THAT MAKES YOU ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE GUILD, THEN YOU'RE WRONG!" Natsu unleashed a raging fist.
"AND YOU'RE DEAD!" The two dragons both clashed in their immense powers.
"Even if face-to-face with death, a true hero never gives in until the battle is won and peace is restored."
"Yeah, but I'm not a hero. I'm a…"
"A Celestial Reaper. You hold a power like no other. You must desire my strength to control it. You do not fight to win, you fight to protect." The twinkle floated into Rai's chest. As the energy seeped into his body, the light around him began to shine brighter.
Rai woke up. He looked around to see where he was. His arm was around Freed's shoulder. Standing nearby was Levy while she helped to get Gajeel standing. "You're awake!" Levy said out loud.
"About time, Reaper," Gajeel added.
"Man," Rai rubbed his forehead, "What happened?" Rai remembered the situation. "Laxus…and the lightning." He looked around again. "Where's Natsu?"
"He's competing with Laxus," Freed pointed to the sky. Just above the cathedral was a burning streak of fire that collided with an electric streak of lightning.
"Laxus is too strong, there's no way Salamander can take him down," Gajeel informed. Rai took back his balance and started running back inside the cathedral.
"Rai, where are you going!?" Levy called out.
"I gotta stop him!" Rai ran towards the center of the room.
The war continued in the sky between the Dragon Slayers. Laxus and Natsu began to lash out one strike after another with kicks, punches and tackles. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE!" Laxus shouted. He managed to land a blow down on Natsu's head. He crashed down onto a tower. A lightning bolt blasted down on Natsu and forced him down onto the roof. From the rubble, Laxus lifted Natsu and kicked him. With his fingers, Natsu grabbed the surface to slow down his speed. He fell frontward.
Rai brought out his scythe and jabbed it down on the ground. "Here goes nothing," he said.
"Face it, already," Laxus spoke out. "It's over!"
"Natsu," Levy cried. Everyone watched the top of the church as Natsu desperately lifted himself up.
"…Why you don't just give up the fight," Natsu yelled, "The guild doesn't belong to you! It never will!"
From Rai's scythe, a yellow radiance lowed around his body. For some reason, he began speaking an incantation from his head and spoke it in his native tongue. "Como segador celestial, por este medio un llamado a la potencia del alma que mora en mí. Por favor, dame tu fuerza para poner fin al caos trajo a día de hoy. Que mi coraje superar la oscuridad. Soul of Fantasy... ¡Despierta!" Rai's eyes became yellow.
"OH YEAH!?" Laxus raised his fist. He summoned a spell ring. "LIGHTNING DRAGON; DEMOLITION FIST!" A large fist blasted out at Natsu.
"SOUL BREAKER!"
A pillar of light blasted its way from the room. The wind shifted into a vortex between Natsu and Laxus. The column shined upward as far as the heavens. Everyone in town shielded their eyes from the blinding light. "What the hell is this?" Laxus asked.
"The hecks going on?" Gajeel asked.
"I don't know," Levy answered. Once the smoked cleared out, a new combatant stood in front of Natsu. As he looked up, Natsu was stunned to see someone new. It was a tall man with brown boots and metal armor leggings that ran up to his thighs. A grey warrior belt with two pates hanging from his side and a cloth hanging from the front. He wore a black and yellow armor top to shield his front. Underneath it, he had a long white sleeved shirt with grey braces on his forearms and shoulder guards with bicep protection. His neck held a black cloth tied in a knot on the front and the triangle hanging down the back of his neck. On his face was a metal visor that covered his mouth, ears, and nose. On his forehead was a black headband with a yellow jewel arranged in the center. The irises in his eyes were the same color as the yellow jewel. The one thing that caught Natsu's attention was the weapon he held. The blade looked sharp like any other sword, but the back of the blade looked curved like a hook. The guard was rounded inward toward the handle. At the butt of the handle was a red crystal that shined vigorously. Laxus was unimpressed by his appearance.
"Laxus," the man pointed his sword at him with his right hand. "You will stop this meaningless battle, or subject to the demise that waits you."
"Tsk, like I care who you are," Laxus summoned a large amount of electricity into his hands. "Get out of my way, or I'LL OBLITERATE YOU!"
"No, don't do it!" Freed shouted. "That much magic energy could kill him!" Laxus held the giant orb of electricity above his head.
"LIGNTHNING DRAGON: HEAVENWARDS HALBERD!" Laxus fired off a massive lightning spear.
"Get out of there!" Natsu screamed. The man raised his sword and swung out against the spear. The sword made contact and, in one swing, he redirected the lightning into the north of Magnolia, over the lake. The blast faded into the distance. The man didn't flinch. He glared down at Laxus with sheer anger in his eyes.
"You have chosen your fate," the man said. Natsu was silenced by the man's power.
"…No way," Natsu whispered.
"He shifted his attack in one swing," Freed watched with wide eyes. The man went rushing in. Laxus ran straight after the warrior. Just as they were about to clash, he moved to his right and hooked Laxus' neck onto his sword. With full force, he threw him into a building in the street. The structure had been destroyed just on impact.
"Just how strong is this guy?" Gajeel asked. The warrior went chasing after him. Laxus lifted himself from the wreckage.
"What the crap just happened?" he asked. He looked up at the church to see the warrior closing in on him. "YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME!?" Laxus began charging himself for an attack. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" The shot fired straight at him. The warrior pulled out his sword and sliced right through the beam like a butter knife. He jabbed his blade into Laxus' chest. His ribs cracked as his scales began to break from the pressure. "He's breaking through my armor!" The warrior ran up Laxus' chest and kicked him up into his jaw. He performed a backflip after and stood in front of Laxus.
"Have you lost your strength, boy?" the man asked. This only angered Laxus.
"SHUT UP!" Laxus began to throw out furious punches and kicks. A left fist was blocked by a right block of the sword. A left kick was wrapped by the blade hook and sent Laxus crashing into the pavement. A huge cloud of dust filled the area. The people were starting to run away from the battle. Laxus quickly leapt from the dust and rushed in at the warrior. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?" Laxus threw out a left hook. The man caught it with his left hand.
"You're ignorance will be your downfall," he said. He kneed Laxus into his ribs. The sound of bones being cracked echoed through the air.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH !" Laxus screamed in pain. He stuttered backwards. The man readied his blade. He lashed out with his sword and hacked away at Laxus. With each slash, he left Laxus with cut marks bleeding from his chest. Laxus was almost ready to pass out. The man swung his sword up and sent Laxus into the air. He ran underneath him to the other side. As Laxus fell back down, he landed a roundhouse kick. He was now flying into a brick wall.
CRASH!
Everyone in the station ran in terror and exited the building. Laxus just lay on the bricks piled underneath him. As Laxus looked at the hole he made, he could see him walking closer.
"If we don't teach Laxus a lesson, then he'll never learn!" the man recalled in his head. He picked Laxus by the neck and dragged him near the train's docking bay. The sound of a train whistle grew louder. "You will atone for your crimes against the guild." Laxus looked with one eye up to him.
"Why do you care," he groaned, "You're…not even…part of the guild."
"I cannot stand aside and watch helplessly as people are pitted against one another, especially comrades who share no desire to hurt their family!" The train came passing by. The warrior raised Laxus and shoved his face into the moving train. Electricity flailed as Laxus face continued to skid across the train's surface.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGG GGHHHH!" The agony was immense and the pain only grew with each passing second. The train left, leaving only the man and Rai the only ones left at the station.
"It's time to end this." The man threw Laxus into the sky and followed after him. He drew out his sword. "Guardian Blade!" The sword glowed immensely bright, almost as if it was on fire.
"The sword…it's on fire!" With one swing, Laxus was shrouded in a cloak of flames and blasted back. He began falling to the ground like a meteor. He crash landed in front of the guild. Laxus didn't move an inch. The man walked over to his body. The blade of his sword blazed a bright yellow. He raised it over his head.
"This shall be your grave. The home you truly wished to rule." The blade suddenly shot out and increased its size to a skyscraper. The warrior swung his sword down on his body. "Final Fantasy: Requiem!"
"STOP!" Natsu yelled out. The blade was a centimeter way from touching Laxus' back. The warrior turned to Natsu as he stood behind him. His fists burned with fire. "Listen to me, Rai. Don't do this." Rai withdrew his power and the blade returned to normal.
"He is a monster with a deviant sense of strategy," said Rai. "He can't be allowed to live."
"Shut up!" Natsu yelled out. "That's not the same Rai who said he'd let me take on Laxus! If you kill him, then you'll be no better than he is!" Rai froze at his words.
"You know he can be a real pain sometimes, but he's still one of us." Rai looked down at the defeated Laxus. "Are you saying that you still trust this man, even if he doesn't show the same attitude towards his fellow members?"
"That's right," Natsu answered, "It's just like Freed said; he still has Gramps' heart." Rai looked down at himself. "He didn't destroy the town or anybody else because we all know how he feels about us." He put his hand on his armor.
"Natsu, I am not the same Rai who would be willing to show compassion to an enemy," he said. "My objective is to bring balance and order to this galaxy." Rai looked up at the sky. "But, I will respect your decision; for you have demonstrated true bravery as an ally. This is your world, so I will leave the choice of punishment with your people." Natsu smiled at his verdict. "However, this land might be better off without him."
"I don't know about that," Natsu sweat dropped. They both came up to one another and shook hands. A red spark flew on Rai. In an instant, Red electricity surged through his entire body.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH !" Rai screamed in pain.
"Rai, you okay!?" Natsu yelled. The pain stopped. Rai fell to the floor. In a bright light, he returned to his normal clothes. His scythe fell down on his motionless body.
Rai woke up in a floating dimension of red space. "Hey, I'm back in that place with the 'other soul joining me in battle' scenario! But, it's a lot redder the last time I was here." He looked around. He seemed to be alone at first.
"We finally made contact," A voice casted from behind. Rai turned to see a buffed man in a red mask and cape.
"Whoa, are you the guy that brought me here?"
"I am not responsible for this phenomenon. But, it appears that our minds are linked as to portray communication between one another."
"...So, we're talking in our heads?"
"...Yes…in our heads…" The masked man was not amused by Rai's indulgence to understand his sophisticated intelligence.
"You mind telling me why I'm talking to you?"
"I suppose it would not be the best time to explain my mission to such an unskilled and intolerable man like you." Rai stared him down.
"Watch it, buddy. I don't like people who think their higher up in the world. That's why I took down Sparky before he went nuts."
"That is false; you did not perform battle with him. You used the soul to do combat for you."
"Well, technically- wait, how do you know about that?"
"...I suppose I can allow your feeble mind to solve this on your own."
"Let me guess…you're the one that girl talked about."
"..."
"Ah, so you're throwing the universe out of whack. Alright, you wanna fight it out now?" Rai cracked his knuckles.
"Negative. As of now, I have too much work to be done. Fighting you would be a waste of my efforts." Rai was starting to get pissed off. "We shall meet again in the future. Also…" He swooped down in front of Rai's face. "You will stay away from her."
Rai snapped out of his slumber. He remembered the battle between him and Laxus not too long ago. He gave a quick glance as to where he was. So far, it looked to be the inside of an infirmary. He could hear cheering coming from downstairs. I'm back in the guild? he thought.
"They're a rowdy bunch, aren't they?" said Laxus. Rai lay frozen in his bed.
"Laxus, I don't think you understand the seriousness of what you have done," said Makarov. Rai remained silent during their conversation. He couldn't see them; just the window where his head was turned. "Look me in the eyes, young man." Laxus turned to his grandfather. "Fairy Tail is a place…where friends can gather, wizards can find work, and children who have no kin to call their home can feel like they're part of a family. It's not something that can be owned." Makarov had a serious tone in his voice. "It's important that each member not only be loyal, but also trustworthy. Otherwise, no bonds will be formed and the entire guild will eventually fall apart. Your actions have proven you lack both of those qualities and you threatened the lives of your comrades. That's unforgivable."
"I'm sorry, sir" Laxus apologized. "Honestly, I never meant to hurt the guild."
That makes two for Natsu, Rai thought. Laxus' footsteps came closer.
"I just wanted to make it stronger." Makarov jumped off his bed.
"I swear, you're just as high strung as I am," Makarov replied. "You better try to relax or you'll end up in here with me. Take some time to smell the roses. If you do, you'll be able to see things you've never seen before and you'll hear things you've never been able to hear. Life can be a lot of fun if you allow it to be." A small silence filled the room. "Over the years, I've watched you grow into the man you are today. Where did we go wrong, what lessen did you not learn. The past is the past…I am only left now with only one choice." Rai could hear Laxus whimper. "Laxus…you are hereby expelled from Fairy Tail." He was shocked.
"…I understand," said Laxus, "Thanks for everything." His footsteps began to leave. "Grandpa," Makarov began to cry under his breath. "You take care of yourself, okay old man?"
"Please, just go!" Makarov uttered. As Laxus left, Makarov wiped the tears from his eyes. He continued to gaze out the window. "…Are you awake now, Mr. Ortega?" Rai removed the sheets as he sat up. He noticed he had on bandages and wraps around his legs and arms. He stood and walked over to the master. "You seem to have recovered quite well."
"…Yeah," Rai said with sadness. "I didn't mean to…"
"I suppose you have unlocked the Soul of Fantasy, am I right?" Makarov asked.
"Yes, sir." Rai checked his tool belt resting on a chair next to his bed, but the soul wasn't in it. "What the…where did it...?" Rai looked to his scythe leaning on the chair. He stared long enough to notice that the jewel on top was now the color yellow.
"It seems you have obtained a new power within yourself. That is a magnificent thing."
"To be honest, I'm not sure how it happened."
"As you continue on with your journey, new opportunities and knowledge will come your way. But don't forget, before you're a Celestial Reaper, you're still you." Rai smiled.
"Thank you, Master Makarov."
"Now then," Makarov smiled back. "Let's go see how the others are doing." Rai and Makarov exited the infirmary. As they began to enter the guild hall, everyone turned to them. The whole guild cheered in excitement at their recovery.
"Pikachu!" Jolt leapt into Rai's arms.
"Easy, Jolt!" Rai laughed. "I'm still trying to get the feeling back in my arms."
"It's nice to see you both make a great recovery," Erza walked in. "Are feeling better, Master?"
"I'm fine, there's no need to worry," Makarov assured.
"Hey, Rai!" Lucy ran in, "Are you okay?"
"After that intense battle from earlier, I'd say I'm doing pretty well," Rai grinned."I didn't even need to use a lightning rod." Everyone talked about how Rai managed to take on one of the strongest members in the guild. So far, they were impressed by his power. There were even witnesses who saw it when Rai bashed him into buildings or rammed him into Magnolia Station.
"Well, I believe it's time to add our new recruits, don't you think?" Mirajane asked.
"Yeah, let's make them men!" Elfman yelled out.
"Uh, what are you guys talking about?" Rai cocked an eyebrow.
"After all that's happened, it's only reasonable that you guys become members since you helped us out," said Gray.
"Yes, it would be fantastic to have you guys on our team," Juvia smiled happily.
"You guys sure showed us some amazing skills," Cana added.
"Like that sword," Macao added.
"Or that fancy new armor you had on," Wakaba interrupted.
"Well, what do you think, boys?" Makarov asked. Rai and Jolt looked at each other. They both nodded.
"Alright, we're in," Rai smiled.
"Pikachu!" Mirajane pulled out a stamper with the symbol of Fairy Tail.
"Okay guys, where do you want it?" Lucy asked. Rai checked over his body.
"Hmm, I'd be pretty cool to have it on my arm," Rai considered. A Mummy Natsu jumped in front of him.
"No mah, math wha I pah mah!" Natsu yelled furiously. Everyone was dumbfounded by his words.
"What did he say?" Rai asked.
"He said that's where he has his mark, so he doesn't want you to take his idea," Mummy Gajeel translated.
"Fine, maybe my chest," Rai looked at his front, but noticed Gray didn't have his shirt on. "Never mind." Rai turned around and noticed everyone had the symbol chosen where they wanted it. "At this point, I'll settle for the back of my neck."
"Done!" Mirajane stamped the symbol on Rai's neck. Once placed, the symbol changed to a dark grey color.
"I didn't mean it, literally," Rai sulked. Mirajane imprinted the symbol on Jolt's tail as it took a dark green color to match its bandanna.
"Cha!" Jolt waved its tail in joy.
"Great!" Lucy cheered. "Now that that's taken care of, there's just one more thing left to do." Everyone in the guild looked to Rai and Jolt.
"…I don't like where this is headed," said Rai.
The rain showered down on the small town. Some of the homes had their lights on with family staying indoors to pass the time. At the Junes Department Store, the only lights that remain on were at the entrance. The glass door slowly opened. A small figure quietly tiptoed past the lobby and into the market. He turned on his flashlight and glanced around at the products and advertisements.
"Look at all the stuff I can't afford," Prowl whispered. He looked around the store and noticed some conveniently placed televisions' in the electronics department. "Nice TV, it'd be a shame if someone took it for their new pad which they are conveniently staying at." Prowl started to shift a 15" television from its display until something caught his eye; a 52" HD television with built-in speakers. Prowl dropped the screen to the floor. It shattered. "Oh my god," he stared at it with envy, "Dat screen!" Prowl moved closer to the TV and began to shift the television from display. "I'm getting this thing back to the inn, even if it kills me!"
Magnolia
Fireworks went off in the night sky. People screamed and cheered with joy and anticipation for the Fantasia Parade to begin. The sound of music and trumpets lead the way for the floats to come. In the first float, small children with musical noted for masks led through in front of a giant green fish float. In its mouth were people dressed as fish food like clams and shrimp. Up next was a pink bunny float with glowing eyes. Just after the float was a mascaraed of Fairy Tail's women dressed in red velvet bras and thongs. Their arms had white fluffy sleeves and around their necks were gold necklaces. From the back were large fluffy wings.
The next float was a stage where Cana performed in her orange dress with white angel wings. Her cards floated and glittered with pink hearts incasing them. Her float glittered with blue sparkles as well as a rainbow flying over her head. Behind her was Wakaba and Macao dressed as orange and blue clowns. They danced around with funny and comedic routines. Macao let out a large burst of blue flames over the crowd. The flame spun until it became a round ring, and a small fire spike pierced through the ring and flared into an army of pink hearts.
The crowd cheered louder as the performance continued. One man stood in the alley as he smiled during the festival. He watched the float that held Alzack, Max, Droy, and Jet on a blimp looking like small insects in the garden. Only Droy and Jet were the ones dressed as a pumpkin and a caterpillar.
The next float held the three Fairy Tail beauties: Bisca, Lucy, and Levy. They wore their pink corsets with white skirts and fluffy collars on their necks. They danced while carrying large pink flags with white designs. Their platform was in the shape of a musical drum. The people were happy and smiling at their technique.
Coming up from behind was Elfman in his beast form as he roared to the crowd. Behind him was a tall thorny, grey castle with a pink rose at the very top. The bud blossomed and Mirajane appeared in a blue corset with white sleeves on her upper arm to her wrists. Her legs were covered by a magnificent white gown. She gave off a radiant white light as she transformed. A group of quadruplets cheered for Mira, showing their support that read on their shirts: M-I-R-A-L-O-V-E. Their jaws dropped as soon as Mirajane revealed her form. She became a giant pink lizard that took up the entire float (poor Elfman).
Coming up from the back was an aquatic display with Gray in a blue prince uniform and Juvia in a light blue princess dress. On stage was a stupendous crystal castle. They waved down to the crowd. On Gray's cue, Juvia summoned a rush of water into the sky. The water became a rushing arch over the castle. Aquatic words shifted at the top of the arch: FAIRY TAIL. The crowd roared with excitement.
The next float was a special duet. The float was a stage with pink curtains hanging behind the two. On the left was Raimundo performing in a red tuxedo; waving to the crowd. To his left was Erza who used her dancing swords to spin around the two. Her outfit was a red and orange dress with wings resting around her head and arms. They both started to waltz as a large white enveloped their bodies and changed their forms. Erza now had a red winged bra and a white silk skirt. Her arms and wrists were cuffed with gold braces and she held two sabers in each hand. Her red hair was tied to now have four ponytails. Rai changed into his Soul of Fantasy and drew out his sword.
"I am still skeptical on you using my power for such an unnecessary display," Rai thought to himself.
"Come on, man," Raimundo answered. "Do it for the team. Just enjoy yourself." He looked to the crowd as they cheered. Rai looked around and saw the joy brought to everyone. Rai swung out his sword as fire surrounded both him and Erza. Together, they created a dance of fire.
Natsu walked down the street with torches spewing in from large jars. Each jar was being pulled by large green jellybean monsters. Happy and Jolt sat on one with Happy wearing a small green tuxedo and Jolt dressed as itself. As for Natsu, he sucked in a large amount of air and tilted his head back. He spat out small bursts of flame into the air and began to spell FAIRY TA…
"Ack!"Natsu coughed on his fire. With the final members performing, it was almost time for Makarov to take the stage in his big red bow and yellow overalls over a purple strip long sleeve shirt.
"Master Makarov," Gajeel spoke out. Makarov looked down to him on the float.
"You're not gonna be in the parade, Gajeel?" Makarov asked.
"I don't like being in the spotlight," he replied.
"Well, that can't be true," Makarov smiled, "You're Mister Shoobidobop!" Gajeel turned red. He then pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper.
"Here, this is for you. I took me awhile but I finally tracked down Master Ivan."
"Good work, my boy. I'm sorry it was so dangerous."
"No prob; I can handle it. It's actually kind of fun, and that guy has no idea I'm a double agent."
"Thank you. I appreciate it." Makarov placed his hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't easy to retrieve the Soul of Fantasy from him, but we must ensure the safety of our home world."
"Master!" A member shouted to him. "Are you ready? It's about that time!" Makarov quickly put his cat-eared hat on.
"Sorry, but my public needs me!"
A lone man walked behind the crowd of fans. "Looks, it's the master!" The man turned towards the parade.
"Oh, wow!"
"Sure is wearing a fancy outfit, huh." Makarov jumped and waved out to his fans across the festival (almost like a cat).
"I'd say it's more funky than fancy."
"Why is he acting so goofy?" The man smiled as he recalled a childhood memory.
"But, how come you're not gonna be in the Fantasia Parade this year?" young Laxus asked.
"Cause this is your big moment," Makarov responded. "But, I'll be watching you from the sidelines."
"When I look into the crowd, how will I find you?" he asked.
"Forget about me, you're the star!"
"If you say so," then Laxus had an idea. "Oh, I know! In the middle of the parade, I'll do this!" He raised his hand and pointed up to the sky with his thumb sticking out. "You can see that, right?"
"You'll raise your hand?" Makarov didn't quite follow.
"It's a message!" Young Laxus explained. "When you see me holding out my hand like this, it means even if I can't see you, I'm looking your way!" Makarov's eyes filled with bubbly joy and tears.
"Sniff, that's my boy."
"Be sure took look for it, okay?"
Laxus looked at his hand and made the symbol in front of him. He looked back at the parade one more time and started to walk off. Before he left, he suddenly felt something from behind. Laxus turned to the parade and saw his grandfather pointing up towards the sky. Laxus couldn't believe what he saw. Not only did Makarov, but every member of Fairy Tail raised their hands and pointed to the stars. This was their declaration to their leaving comrade and their family member. Confetti rained down upon the festival at the initiation. Tears began to shed from Laxus' eyes. "…Grandpa," he whispered.
"I may not be able to see you…there may be hundreds of miles between us…but I'll always be looking your way," Makarov assured. "I'll be watching over you…forever. I promise."
"I know," Laxus told himself, "Thank you, Grandpa."
"The party is just getting started!" Natsu cheered. "Haha, I'm all fired up, now!"
"Aye Aye, sir!" Happy added.
"Okay guys, who's proud to be a member of Fairy Tail?"
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AHHHHH!" Everyone cheered. Rai smiled as the festival began to close up with fireworks. As he looked up, he noticed something in the sky. One twinkling little star had vanished from the night. He felt uneasy and looked down at the parade.
"I believe our time here has ended," said Rai.
The Amagi Inn was now closed. The residents were sleeping soundly and the employees had turned in for the night. The rain continued to pour down. One room remained lit on the ground floor. Prowl lifted with all his strength as he pushed the large screen through the window. He had it rest on the floor while he crept in after. His uniform covered the screen so to protect it the rest of the way back. He tried to shake off the water that poured from his clothes. "Alright, time to check out that Midnight Channel."
10 hours earlier...
"That will be it for today, class," Ms. Kashiwagi announced to her class. "Get home safely and try to stay dry since it's raining," she licked her lips and walked out. The students started packing and talking amongst themselves. Prowl shoved his books into his bags and prepared to leave.
"Now that my first day is over, time to check out the area," said Prowl. He rose from his seat and headed to the exit.
"I can't believe they finally caught him!" a girl was talking to her friends. Prowl stopped at the door and pulled out his dictionary.
"Yeah, I know!" The ribbon ponytail friend added. "Turns out that one of the police investigators was behind the first murders the whole time!"
"I saw that on the news, too!"
"And that one guy was responsible for kidnapping the students who went missing!"
"Was he connected to that whole Midnight Channel thingy?"
"I don't know. But the rumor last year was that if you see someone on TV at midnight on a rainy night, that person is supposed to be your soul mate!" The rain started to fall heavily on the town. "We should get going before it starts pouring!" The girls exited the classroom and walked down the hallway. Prowl leaned on the wall next to the classroom entrance.
"That sounds interesting," Prowl told himself. "Think I'll go check it out."
Now
Prowl removed the television resting on the cupboard. He replaced it with his new monitor for entertainment and reconnected the cables. He shut the lights off and turned it on. Prowl stared at the snowy screen for some time. "This is boring," he said. "Wonder if they have some adult programs." Prowl pressed the CH + button and skimmed through for anything good to watch. He stopped and looked at the clock resting on his dresser.
[11:59 PM]
"Screw it, I'm going to bed." Prowl turned off the television. He started walking to his futon. "I can't believe I'm sleeping on the floor."
[12:00 AM]
*click*
The light from the screen flickered on. Prowl stood surprised to see the TV set turn on by itself. He walked up to the monitor and stared at the screen. He noticed a picture appearing in front of him, but could hardly make it out. Prowl leaned in closer to get a better view. He slowly moved forward toward the screen until it was straight in his face.
Crash!
Thunder boomed outside, causing Prowl to stutter forward. He tripped over the old television and fell forward; phasing into the screen. He began falling into another world.
Fairy Tail
"WHAAAAT! YOU'RE LEAVING!?" Natsu shouted in the guild hall. Everyone stopped and looked to where Natsu, Rai and Jolt stood. "You just got here and now you gotta go?"
"Believe me," Rai guaranteed, "I'd like to stay, but I've got a job to do. You know, protecting the universe from the deadly threat that can destroy you all."
"He does have a point," Lucy sweat dropped.
"Yes, it would seem so," Makarov interrupted. "It looked as though it was only yesterday that you just unlocked your true power, Mr. Ortega."
"Uh, wasn't it just yesterday?" Rai asked.
"You have been a formidable ally," Erza complimented.
"We really will miss you guys," Levy said as she petted Jolt.
"Pika!" Jolt licked her cheek.
"Try not to get too much in trouble," Gajeel turned to try and not show any signs of emotion. Rai simply smiled.
"Hold on there, Reaper," Natsu added. "When you're done saving the whole world or whatever, you better get back here so I can take you on!" Everyone was stunned to see Natsu declare a battle against Raimundo.
"Natsu, we don't even know if he'll ever come back," Gray pointed out. Rai thought for a moment. He dug into his belt and pulled out a pink ribbon with a gold crest.
"What is that, Rai?" Cana asked.
"It's a ribbon I got from some friends in another world," said Rai. "I made a promise to give it back; even if it's not likely I'll come back." Rai turned to show him his Fairy Tail symbol. "With this, I won't ever forget the people I met here on my journey." Everyone in the guild smiled at the new promise to their new comrades. Jolt jumped onto Rai's shoulder and gave a small cheer.
"Pikachu!"
"Looks like you two became real men!" Elfman stated. Rai pulled out his scythe.
"Hold on," Erza halted him. "Before you take off, we must bid you a proper farewell." Erza requiped her armor and changed it into a large suit of tallow and grey armor. In her hand was a large flag with Fairy Tail's symbol. "When leaving the guild, you are expected to follow these rules." Rai and Jolt looked in curiosity. "1. You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others as long as you both shall live." Rai and jolt nodded in seriousness. "2. You must never use former contacts met through your being in the guild for personal gain." Erza fell silent. With a strong will, she spoke out. "3. Though our paths may have diverged, you must continue to live out your lives with all your might, you must never consider your own lives to be something insignificant, and you must never forget about your friends for as long as you live!" The guild gave a salute at their departing members. Rai and Jolt saluted back at Erza. Rai's scythe began to glow mystically. He pulled it out and pointed it at the guild entryway. Rai gave a swift horizontal slash as a yellow rip in space opened up and revealed a vortex to another world. With one last wave, Rai said farewell to his friends at Fairy Tail.
"Natsu," Rai turned, "You better be ready when I come back." Natsu grinned with anticipation. He turned to Lucy and Levy. "Ladies," Rai smiled and gave a thumb's up. He and Jolt jumped through the portal.
-To Be Continued-
One soul down, five to go! This story is picking up and so far things are looking good. A lot of ideas are coming to mind, so sorry for the fillers and all. All material and characters used in this part of the adventure belong to their respective owners. Leave a comment and-
?: Mate! Jikai wa nani ga okoru ka oshie suru kikai ga nai?
(Wait! Don't I get a chance to tell what happens next time?)
Huh? What did you say?
?: Kekkyokunotokoro, anata wa monogatari no watashi no bubun ni kite iru. Sore wa josei ni teineidearu tame, shōnen no shigotodesu!
(After all, you're coming to my part of the story. It's a boy's job to be courteous to women!)
What the hell are you saying, woman! I can't understand you!
Next Time: Reaper + Vampire
?: Soshite anata no tame kappuchu!
AH! My neck!